Caregivers get their special day

“The best job in the world.”That’s how Sharon Wiers describes her work as a caregiver for people with developmental disabilities.

Wiers, who followed in her mother’s career footsteps, also has a 22-year-old special-needs daughter, Ashley. The Romeo resident, who is employed by Neighborhood Residential, said seeing the smiles and watching her charges learn new things, “that’s my enjoyment. It’s a new game every day, you don’t know what to expect. It’s the most rewarding job. Even if they can’t talk, just the way they look at you, you know you’ve done something good. It gets right to your heart.”

On Thursday, Wiers and more than 1,000 other caregivers got another reward for their efforts at the 31st Annual Macomb Oakland Regional Center Caregiver Appreciation Day and MORC Kohl’s Caregiver Fashion Show. Held at Palazzo Grande in Shelby Township, the event featured lunch and live music by the Mike Leslie Band, including the group’s original song, “I Am A Caregiver.”

The highlight, of course, was the fashion show. More than 100 caregivers and their clients or family members modeled outfits of their choosing donated by Kohl’s.

But they got more than new clothes: Caregivers and clients also received a makeover before taking the runway. Among those busy sorting through the palettes of blush and eye shadow and cans of hair spray were volunteer stylists Diana Cukrowski of Pintura Salon in Clinton Township, and MORC employees Raquel Love and Nancy Ricotta, who’s work behind the scenes made the event even more memorable for participants such as Avery Snyder of Roseville.

“It’s our first time and we’re excited,” said Snyder, as Love put finishing touches on her “foster sister” Sarah Semczak, who wore a print dress with coordinating slippers. Sarah has cerebral palsy and an intellectual disability. Snyder’s brother Halden sat with another brother Ethan, who also has cerebral palsy, at a nearby table and waited for their turn to take the stage.

In her wheelchair, a glowing Leslie Chambers watched as caregiver Kathy Hibner of the Andersonville Group Home in Davisburg got her beauty treatment.

“Probably my prom or my wedding was the last time I had my makeup done, said Hibner, wearing a peach print top to color coordinate with Chambers’ dress, necklace and floral headband. “We all went shopping together,” said Hibner of their outfits from Kohl’s.

On the casual side and showing their love for Detroit Tigers baseball, Vanco Djuric and son Alexander, 7, of Madison Heights, modeled shirts and caps bearing their favorite team’s logo. Alex, who has Asperger syndrome, and his dad practiced their runway routine at home — “I worked with him a lot,” said the senior Djuric — and watched a video of the previous year’s fashion show to get some ideas. Their well-practiced routine, however, was benched when their “fans” in the audience surprised them by standing to sing a rousing version of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”

“It’s not your run-of-the-mill show,” said Maggie Lewis with Kohl’s Cares for Kids at Kohl’s in Rochester Hills, sponsor of the show for the sixth year. “There’s more screaming, cheering, laughing and smiling than you’ll see at any event.” Kohl’s donated approximately $15,000 in clothes to the models in addition to employees serving as volunteers.

In its 31st year, the event is among the longest-running and largest appreciation day in the country. It traditionally honors 8,000 caregivers employed by the MORC system of more than 100 nonprofits, as well as several thousand family caregivers. MORC is a nonprofit human services agency based in Clinton Township, Auburan Hills and Livonia.

“The dedication of these people is amazing,” said Tim Joy of the Macomb County Provider Alliance about the caregivers. “They’re teachers, nurses, hospice workers, psychologists — they wear so many different hats. “They’re life coaches, they improve the quality of life.